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Jay

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Join date
22-Feb-2003
Last activity
11-Dec-2025
Posts
2,439

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Post
#93744
Topic
What would you like to see in a scifi/fantasy web site? The time has come for a change...
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/93744/action/topic#93744
Time
You'll never have to send any articles to me directly. Everyone will have an account and will upload their articles to the site via the content management system. Once I review the material, I'll make any necessary edits and send it back to you for your comments. Once we're both satisfied with it, I'll approve it for publication and it will show up on the site.
Post
#93728
Topic
What would you like to see in a scifi/fantasy web site? The time has come for a change...
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/93728/action/topic#93728
Time
vBulletin is an excellent package. Unfortunately, it requires PHP and MySQL, neither of which are supported by my hosting service.

I've debated moving the site to another host for this reason. It would save money (PHP/MySQL hosting is much cheaper than CF/MSSQL) and I could install vBulletin. I've never used PHP before, but every indication is that it's pretty easy if you're coming from other languages like ASP and CF.

However, my current hosting service offers excellent performance and the fastest response time I've even seen (most of my e-mails are answered within minutes, even at really odd hours). ColdFusion is also easy to work with and SQL Server is rock-solid.

Not sure what I'm going to do yet, but I need to decide soon. Gotta start work on the site this weekend.
Post
#93553
Topic
Firefox browser
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/93553/action/topic#93553
Time
If you're using Windows 2000 or XP:

1. Open Windows Explorer and browse to any file of the type you want to change.
2. Right-click on the file, go to "Open With", then "Choose Program..." (you might have to hold down the Ctrl key in Win2k for the "Open With" option to show up, I can't remember).
3. Pick the program you want to open the file and check off "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file."

When applications install themselves in Windows, they can "steal" file associations from other applications. Good applications ask you first, bad ones just do it.

If you're using an older version of Windows, you need to use the "File Types" menu you described.
Post
#93416
Topic
What would you like to see in a scifi/fantasy web site? The time has come for a change...
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/93416/action/topic#93416
Time
Each confirmed signature on the petition has the following info stored in the database:

ID Number
First Name
Last Name
City
State
Date Submitted
Date Confirmed
E-mail Address
IP Address

All the unconfirmed signatures have the same info except for Date Confirmed.

Nearly 68,000 signatures take up much more than just a few megs.

Add the forums (which take up a fair bit of space and will take up even more as membership grows) and server logs, and it gets crowded pretty fast in there.

I will work diligently on the new site over the coming weeks and hope to have it done in less than a month.

I'm seriously considering developing my own forum software as well. Even the latest version of FuseTalk doesn't have the functionality and layout I'd like, and reverse engineering the software and making modifications would be tedious. The other benefit to developing my own software would be easy integration with the site as a whole; I could make the layout and content customizable for each user and have a single username/password for everything (user comments on news/articles, art gallery, forums, etc.). My own forum software would also be something I could sell on the side to provide another revenue stream.

The downside would be moving the data from this forum to the new one. Not terribly difficult, but definitely an annoyance.
Post
#92640
Topic
What would you like to see in a scifi/fantasy web site? The time has come for a change...
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/92640/action/topic#92640
Time
Quote
Originally posted by: Master Sifo-Dyas
What I would really like to see is a restoration of the archived forum threads, once that should be financially viable.


I was setting up my development server last night, and I'd completely forgotten those old posts were stored on that machine. I formatted that drive and did a fresh install of Win2k.

Shit.

Sorry guys. It was so long ago that it completely slipped my mind.
Post
#92623
Topic
What would you like to see in a scifi/fantasy web site? The time has come for a change...
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/92623/action/topic#92623
Time
Thanks to everyone for your comments so far.


Here are the things I was considering, and by the responses so far, they're good ideas:

1. Regular news updates related to scifi/fantasy, including new films, DVDs, graphic novels, events, etc.

2. Regular articles, including editorials, reviews, essays, and even stories/serials

3. A gallery for fan artwork with occasional contests

4. Google Search and AdWords (provide revenue through ads that match page content and search terms)

5. Some type of retailer affiliation (Amazon seems like a good choice with its huge product catalog and decent prices)

6. originaltrilogy.com memorabilia such as t-shirts, mugs, pens, etc.


1. and 2. require writers. Those of you who volunteered and are serious about it should contact me via e-mail so we can discuss your ideas in further detail. Since we can't launch the redesign with zero content, we should have a few pieces ready as soon as possible.

I like the idea of a comic strip. The only problem is finding someone to do it.

3. is easy enough to build. My only concern is server space. However, if the site proves to be successful, a dedicated server isn't out of the question. Then hard drive space becomes a trivial matter.

4. and 5. are actually pretty simple and involve little more than signing up and dropping a few lines of code into the site.

Bossk, thanks for telling me about cafepress.com. I'd never heard of them before. It looks like they might be able to handle point 6. I'm not sure where things stand with Dayv and his planned t-shirts at the moment. If he wanted to print up some of his own custom jobs and sell them, I wouldn't have a problem with that.

DigitalMan, your concerns are noted and I agree completely. If the site has poor usability and the advertising becomes too obtrusive, people won't stick around.

Those of you expressing concern over the fate of the forum can rest easy. The forum will remain (with updated FuseTalk software). All this great content isn't worth much if there's no place to discuss it.

As for the petition, 68,000 signatures take up quite a bit of SQL space. If we are indeed going to be posting loads of new content and hopefully attracting more traffic for the forum, it might be time to retire the petition. The petition was once the driving force behind the site, but I think it might be time to move on.

All this new content will require the development and construction of a content management system and associated templates, which will take some time. I'm fired up about it, so I'm hoping to start this weekend and complete the project within a month.

Quote
Originally posted by: ricarleite
Well, whatever changes go through, they gotta happen fast. After ROTS release, Star Wars will fade out for some time...


This is exactly why I'd like to move the site into the general scifi/fantasy realm. Trying to build up the site on Star Wars alone is going to limit our potential audience. There are already too many Star Wars sites out there. Besides, as much as I love Star Wars, there are plenty of other universes out there.

More comments and suggestions, please.
Post
#92434
Topic
What would you like to see in a scifi/fantasy web site? The time has come for a change...
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/92434/action/topic#92434
Time
As originaltrilogy.com approaches its second anniversary, I've been reflecting a bit on the purpose of the site and how things have changed since we launched.

The petition, while still garnering new signatures at a steady--but slow--pace, doesn't have the steam it once did. I'll openly admit that I never expected the petition to convince George Lucas to do anything; he has his plans and his own ideas of what he wants.

I simply wanted to provide a place for fans to sound off and let their feelings be known. I think the petition and the forum have accomplished that goal. You guys have established a nice community here and it's great to see everyone getting along (for the most part ).

However, the site can't continue to exist indefinitely in its current incarnation.

The first issue is cost. My annual hosting fees are currently over $1000 USD, and as the database grows because of new petition signatures and new forum posts, that cost will steadily increase. Not to get too personal, but a recent evaluation of my own finances paired with a new partnership and business venture have convinced me that this site needs to actually make some money--or at least break even--if it's to remain viable.

The second issue is content. As you've undoubtedly noticed, the home page hasn't been updated since the DVD box set announcement last year. I had grand designs two years ago, having planned articles and editorials to accompany the petition. That never materialized though. To date, I've sent ZERO newsletters, despite having collected e-mail addresses since day one.

I was reviewing our web traffic last week, and was surprised to see that originaltrilogy.com receives tens of thousands of visitors every month. In recent months, we've been getting anywhere from 40,000 to 70,000 visitors a month. There are huge consumer electronics companies that would be jealous of those numbers.

Having less than 1500 forum members (most of which are inactive) tells me there's interest in the site, but not enough content to keep people around. It also tells me we have enough of a potential audience to make some money through advertising, referrals, and possibly paid subscriptions for premium content.

I'd like to reinvent originaltrilogy.com with your help. Turn it into not only a hub for Star Wars info, but for science fiction and fantasy in general. News, articles, artwork, forums...all kinds of great content related to our favorite movies, books, and TV shows.

I need your help to do this.

First, I need to know what you'd like to see here. What content would interest you? What features would you like added to the site? What would keep you coming back on a daily basis? Try to forget the forums for the purposes of this exercise and think about what content you'd like to see.

Second, I need content producers.

I need writers, editors, reporters, and artists who have a passion for this stuff and who can contribute regularly to the site's content. If you can write--I mean really put a sentence together--and you have a serious interest in having a public forum for your thoughts, opinions, and ideas, I want to hear from you. Whether you're a news hound who'd like to post the latest news to our home page, or an opinionated fan with some interesting or controversial thoughts for which you'd like an audience, I want to hear from you.

No web development experience is necessary. I will build a content management application that will allow contributors to post content as easily as they post to the forum.

You won't be paid, at least not initially. My primary goal must be to make the site solvent and keep it alive, so any money made will go to hosting costs first, followed by any development costs I incur (new software, hardware upgrades, etc.). But if we start to make a profit and originaltrilogy.com becomes a business venture, compensation becomes a possibility.

This is a great opportunity for new writers to get in on the ground floor of something that could really blow up. Or it could fall flat, who knows . But it should be fun trying. How does a built-in audience of 70,000 monthly visitors sound for you aspiring artists out there?

If you or anyone you know is interested in contributing, please contact me at jay@originaltrilogy.com. Resumes and work samples (writing, artwork, etc.) would be appreciated if you have them handy.

So what do YOU want from this site? Post your thoughts here, please.
Post
#91449
Topic
I want one!
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/91449/action/topic#91449
Time
One thing you have to remember regarding security flaws and hackers: they go where they can do the most damage. I don't believe for one second that Mac OS has fewer security issues than Windows. What it does have is a much smaller userbase. Hackers like IE, Outlook, and Windows because the overwhelming majority of computer users use these products. If you're a hacker looking to wreak havoc for the fun of it, what applications would you attack? I'd choose the ones most people use.

Security holes are only found by those looking for them. If most hackers (both good and bad) are focused on Windows, that's where the bulk of reported bugs are going to be found.

There are some obvious areas that Microsoft screwed up. I'm not sure if this is still the case, but I remember they used to ship Windows with the personal web server turned on by default, with all the associated ports open and responding to pings. It was basically an open invitation to anybody out there who might be listening. Stupid.

MS has gotten much better about security updates. Windows Update has fixes posted regularly now. It doesn't take long for patches to appear once a flaw has been exposed.

You can trust in the fact that if Apple were running the same type of business as Microsoft, they'd be suffering just as much. There are two very different business models at play here, so Apple has a much easier time with certain aspects of their products.

As I said previously, there have been times in the past when I've considered alternatives to Windows, even the PC platform. I usually rule out Macs once I've pieced together what I want and compare prices for comparable performance from a Mac. DAYV's note about a $3000 Sony is a bad representation of the PC landscape. Ever notice that most Sony products are overpriced? Their PCs are no different. An equivalent Dell would probably be $1000 less.

I tried Linux for a while about five years ago. Mandrake distro. Very difficult to get running properly, and once I realized how dependent I was on several Windows apps, I couldn't make a permanent switch. Besides, it kept crashing whenever I used Netscape. Surprise, surprise, the stability of Linux gets flushed down the toilet once you ask it to perform in a consumer environment with consumer-level stresses. Linux is one of those things that the media has blown up into something it's not. It will never replace Windows because once it can do everything Windows does, it will be just as bloated and just as unstable. You can't accommodate everyone's needs and still be lean and mean.

The thing I like best about the PC platform is that I can pick and choose exactly what components I want, right down to the brand of RAM I install. It does take a lot of research, and it's certainly easier for the average user to buy a Mac and do their thing. The market tapped by Apple is a valid one, and I don't look down upon those who would rather buy a box that works so they can spend more time doing things that matter, like playing with their kids or playing video games.

I agree with you 100% that the support structure for PC users simply isn't there. It's up to the company building the machine to help you out, and most are simply incapable of doing so. That's why I like building my own machines. Things rarely go wrong because I make better choices than a manufacturer trying to maximize profits and minimize costs. I buy top-flight hardware and I avoid installing every piece of garbage software I find online. When I do have a problem, it's usually not tough to figure out the cause because I put the thing together and I'm the only one who makes changes. Most people don't have the skill, time, or inclination for such things, and I can't fault them for that.

I take my car to a garage because I don't have the desire to bang around inside the engine when something goes wrong. Could I learn? Sure. But I don't want to, so I trust the mechanic at the dealer to do his job and keep my car running. Most people look at PCs the same way I look at cars. No interest whatsoever in knowing how it does what it does; they just want it to do it.

As for the Brazilian government, keep in mind that cost is a huge factor in many Linux implementations. Large groups can save millions by dropping Windows and its associated applications, both of which carry hefty license fees. Having worked with inept middle and upper management for the last five years, I can tell you that they're not swayed by performance, but by political relationships and money. Tell them they'll save a bunch of money, and they'll go for it--as long as it doesn't piss off too many people.

Quote
Originally posted by: ricarleite

OK, here's why Microsoft products are bad:

They have to sell software for two kinds of people. There's the companies who own huge multi-processed servers, and there's the regular pc user, people who use computers at home to play games, listen to music, maybe write some spreadsheets. So, they gotta sell two different OS versions, and both must have the same look and feel. Now, they can't sell only one OS at the same price: if they sell it too low, they'll bakrupt. If they sell it too high, home computer users will migrate to linux and mac. So, you create two versions, but how can you justify to some company with a server NOT to buy a windows98, but to buy an expensive win2003 server license? Well, you make sure the SERVER version is stable (and it is), and make sure the home version is BUGGY and slow and crappy. Get it?


A very invalid comparison considering Windows 98 is seven years old and an extrememly different piece of software from Windows 2003 Server, which is the latest and greatest. You may as well compare Mac OS X to OS 6.3 or whatever. Nevermind also that the "professional" level Windows OS (Windows NT) and the "consumer" version (Windows 95/98/ME) were very different products under the hood--with very different levels of reliability--until the backbone of Windows 2000 (which was actually the next version of Windows NT, not Win98 as the name would imply) was incorporated into Windows XP. Windows 98 was absolute garbage, and I hated using it. WinME was no better, being based on the same kernel as 95/98. Now, XP Home, XP Pro, and Win2k3 Server are very similar at their cores (based on the NT codebase), and all are very stable and reliable.
Post
#91252
Topic
I want one!
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/91252/action/topic#91252
Time
I've built every PC I've owned except for the first one, which I bought back in 1998. That was a Windows 98 machine from Micron. Ran like shit back then. Running Windows 2000 now and still going strong as a web development staging server. I never shut it down or reboot it.

There are tens of thousands of web servers running on Windows 2000 reliably. This site is hosted on one of them.

If Windows 2000 and XP crashed as much as Mac users claim, nobody would ever be online because half of your favorite sites wouldn't be accessible. The others run on UNIX, which isn't what OS X is, by the way, no matter what Jobs tells you.

Whenever I get the urge to upgrade my PC, I'm tempted to give Apple a shot. The designer in me finds the Mac aesthetic very pleasing.

Then my research reminds me what Macs cost. When I add up the expense of significantly superior PC hardware--including a pretty silver aluminum case--and find it costs much less, I come back to reality.

Then there's the one-button mouse with the weirdest clicking/tilting action I've ever felt. I can only conclude that functionality is giving way to the subtle sophistication of simplicity in this case.

The $499 price point of the Mac mini is exciting because of the form factor, not because of performance. An ATI 9200 with 32MB of RAM? Exciting, yes--three years ago. Probably a decent DVD/CD/MP3 player, so it would make a cool client for a media server. Rip all your DVDs and CDs to hard disk and feed them wirelessly to several Mac minis hooked up to the displays in your home. Nothing that couldn't be done with a PC for less money though.

Bossk makes a good point. Prebuilt PCs should work. That's what people expect when they buy them. However, there are significant differences between the PC market and the Apple market. As noted by a previous poster, Apple is the sole manufacturer of their primary hardware and the sole developer of the OS. That means tight control of most aspects of the hardware and far fewer possible configurations. I would expect superior stability with such a platform--which isn't what you get, but I'll touch on that later.

But when people talk about Macs, what are they talking about? They're talking about one company with one direction and one vision. When people talk about PCs, they're talking about hundreds of builders, not including the local mom and pop shops building PCs one at a time by hand. Hundreds of builders. Thousands of hardware manufacturers. Thousands of programmers. All writing their own little drivers and applications, 90% of which are hell-bent on wrecking your Windows installation thanks to shoddy development work. Microsoft took a step in the right direction with WHQL (Windows Hardware Quality Lab) certification, but nobody's forcing developers to use it.

I could spout a ton of anecdotal evidence "proving" the superior stability of Windows 2000 and Windows XP to any Mac OS to date, including the current OS Apple stole and put a fancy evening gown on. I won't do that because it's total bullshit, just like the claims that OS X is the most stable OS ever.

I've heard just as many Mac horror stories as PC horror stories. The myth that Macs come out of the box crash-proof and ready to go needs to stop. Any perceived differences based on your own personal experience are attributable to bad luck and/or poor system setup.

If you're going to bitch about PC instability, don't blame the PC format. Blame builders like Dell who use motherboards with poor upgrade paths and Indian tech support you can't understand. Blame application developers who write sloppy code. Blame your office's poorly trained PC administrators.

And what about the usability differences? Academic. I've used both. Different but equal. It simply comes down to user preference.

Mac is a BRAND, just like Nike, Coca-Cola, and McDonald's. Steve Jobs is a marketing genius who knows how to exploit the Mac Mystique in order to sell the image. That little half-eaten piece of fruit is a status symbol that Mac owners love. That's why it lights up on their laptops; it must draw attention to itself.

The value of the brand will not allow other manufacturers to sell Mac-based machines. Rival manufacturers dilute Apple's profits right along with the strength of the brand. That's why they bought out Power Computing Corp. for $100 million years ago.

PCs aren't a brand. They're tools. A very different market.

Again, as a designer, I can understand why some people prefer Macs, but just once I'd like to hear a Mac user admit that the primary reason they like them is because they look pretty.
Post
#86596
Topic
HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/86596/action/topic#86596
Time
Quote
Originally posted by: DanielB
Jay, your argument is too complicated. When you record on DVD-R you often face the problems of a pausing during playback, this also occurs with a lot of commercial discs, especially those which have been poorly pressed. I went through two copies of one DVD I bought before I got a third, working copy of it. D-VHS does not have that problem, consumers can watch a pause-free playback, guaranteed. The potential of the format is huge. If it is marketed correctly, I do believe the market would adopt it over Blu-Ray/HD-DVD.

I'm not arguing that it's a better format, no ... just that it's a more consumer-friendly format, one that will satisfy more consumers.


So you're saying people would go back to all the negative aspects of tape just to avoid the layer change? That's absurd.

I'm also hoping that this time around manufacturers build HD-DVD/BluRay players with enough buffer space and fast enough decoders to allow seamless layer changes. There are a few DVD players that are capable of this now.

It doesn't matter how well they market D-VHS. Most consumers love their shiny little discs and want nothing to do with tape. D-VHS never had any hope of being anything other than a niche format.

I briefly owned a D-VHS deck and would've kept it had the film library been more extensive. The primary reason I bought it was to record HD cable broadcasts, but Comcast didn't offer a FireWire output on the box in my area, so it was useless to me. Even without a decent library, it would've been worth keeping just for this reason.

It's a nice little format, but to say it could defeat BluRay/HD-DVD with some good marketing is silly.

Quote
Originally posted by: PSYCHO_DAYV
KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BEFORE YOU POST.


Good advice.
Post
#86357
Topic
The Things We Hate And Love Thread .
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/86357/action/topic#86357
Time
If you want a PC that works well, it's really up to you to do the research and put it together yourself. If you buy a pre-built machine, expect problems.

That, to me, is the big difference between Macs and PCs.

I built my PC myself. Runs XP. I haven't rebooted it since I moved into the new apartment two months ago. It runs 24/7. I've had Windows-based machines running for months and months without requiring a restart.

The horribly misconfigured machines you use at work should not be used as an example.

Think of it this way: if Microsoft had only a few different hardware configurations to worry about, Windows would be much simpler to build and maintain. Since they have to build an OS that works with literally thousands of different pieces of hardware, the fact that it's bloated shouldn't surprise anyone.

And yes, Macs have fewer virus and security issues, but that's not because they're inherently more secure, but because virus writers and hackers want to make the most trouble on as many machines as possible, so they target Windows. If all those troublemakers suddenly turned their eyes to the Mac, Apple would have just as many "issues" with their OS as Microsoft.
Post
#86341
Topic
HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/86341/action/topic#86341
Time
Yeah, if you're the type of guy who just wants a good picture and isn't too concerned about making a huge thing out of it, these product announcements aren't going to do much for you.

I get into it because I spend a disproportionate amount of my income on such things compared to most people. When a DLP projector goes from $8K to $3K, it's a big deal to me because I just saved a ton of money, but if you wouldn't even consider spending $3K, who cares?

I was referring to flat panels when I said "LCD". Plasmas are going to be a better deal for a while though. You can get a 37" widescreen plasma for about $1500 today. Now that's an EDTV model (848x480, perfect for 480p DVD playback), but even those are nice. I had a 42" EDTV plasma for a while, and DVDs looked stunning. And, despite the lower resolution, HD looked really awesome as well.

Imagine what they'll cost in two years.